New York Times Summer Reading Contest for Teens

New York Times Summer Reading Contest for Teens helps them become more aware and interested in current world affairs. Following their own interests,  teens are self-direct in their choices of what to read and write about. Every Friday from June 12 – Aug 14, teens can look for the prompt, “What interested you most in The Times this week?” Teens anywhere in the world can post their answers, offering them an international perspective of current affairs through the eyes of their peers.

For many teens, summer can be a whirlwind of activity – between outdoor explorations, visiting friends, working on hobby projects, and maybe some volunteer work or a part-time job, there often isn’t much free time left! However, many schools send students home with a list of books – some required, some suggested – that they are to read and fully digest during their break from classes. Adding some educational material to the summer isn’t a bad thing – though teens can be very busy, it’s also quite healthy for them to stimulate their intellectual curiosity. School lists can include everything from Fyodor Dostoevsky to Barbara Kingsolver, and are compiled with the students’ learning and growth in mind.

The New York Times is, for the sixth summer in a row, offering an additional way for teens to learn and grow through summer reading. However, instead of focusing on major literary works, the program uses the Times’ own content as “required” reading. The New York Times Summer Reading Contest asks teenagers to read at least one interesting news item per week, and to share a brief piece of writing about why the piece sparked their interest. Open to students ages 13-19, the contest allows for one entry per week – meaning that students are welcome to read as many pieces as they want, but that they must choose a single one to write their submission on. After the week has ended, one student opinion will be posted on the New York Times website!

The contest is made accessible by the fact that much of the Times’ content is available online, and by the fact that teens are welcome to read about any topic they like. Previous years’ submissions have covered everything from Miley Cyrus and Justin Beiber to world hunger and gun control. If students prefer to read a print version of the paper (there’s nothing like getting newspaper ink on your fingers!), visit a local library to peruse their copy. More information, including contest rules, is available on the contest website.

[Photo credit: (ccl) Brian Dewey]